Tire carrier



May 11 1926.

E. H. BELDEN v TIRE CARRIER F iled Sept. 7, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. [dim/"d /7. e/aen.

May 11 E. H. BELDEN TIRE CARRIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. '7', 1920IIN VENT0R. [award #Be/de.

TTbR/VE Patented May 11, 1926 EDWARD 11. Brennan, or rornno, OHIO,assrenon TO THE wILLYs-ovEaLAnn corn IEANY, or TOLEDO, OHIO, ACORPORATION or OHIO.

TIRE orgasms.

The present invention relates to tire carriers for motor vehiclesand-has for its object to provide a carrier, the parts of which aresimple in construction, light in weight and inexpensive to manufactureand which when assembled affords a strong and rigid support for thespare tire.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in combination with apair of opposed springs and a connecting member therefor, an improvedtire carrier adapted to be secured to said connecting member at a pointadjacent the inner ends of the springs.

Another object of theinvention is to provide, in combination with a pairof side frame members and an arched end connected therefor, an improvedtire carrier adapted for connection to said arched member at the centerthereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in combination with therunning gear of an automobile, including side frame mem bers connectedat their rear ends by an arch shaped member adapted to receive the in- Vner ends'of a pair of opposed springs, a tire carrier bracket adaptedfor connection to the arch shaped member, with common means forconnecting said bracket and arch shaped member with the inner ends ofsaid springs.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in combination with acover plate for the rear springs and frame of an automobile, an improvedtire carrier adapted to be secured at one point to said cover plate andat another to the body of the vehicle. Another object of the inventionis to provide an improved tire carrier and cover plate construction forthe rear frame portion of an automobile, withcommon means for connectingthe carrier and cover with the frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bracketadapted for connection with the rear of an automobile and arranged tosupport a tire holding ring.

To these and other ends the invention comprises certain novel featuresof construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter morefully pointed out and claimed, it being apparent to those skilled in theart that the invention shown and described herein is susceptible ofvarious modifications, embodiments and arrangements to suit special orvarying conditions and I wish it to be understood that the terms which Ihave used are merely descriptive and not limiting shown in Figure II.for supporting the tire P holding-ring and: i

Figure V is a plan view illustrating the manner of mounting the tirecarrier upon the rear f'ame portion of the automobile, certain partsbeing broken away to more clearly illustrate the application of thecarrier to the frame and cover plate therefor.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, Ihave shown Lil the rear end of a motorvehicle, comprising the side frame channels 10, the rear ends of whichare connected by an arch shaped member 11, the sides of which convergeto a point on the longitudinal center line of i the vehicle as indicatedin Figure V. Upon the rear axle 12 is mounted the driving wheels 13 andconnected with the axle are the converging springs 14:, the inner endsof which project beneath the sides of the arch shaped frame connection11 to a point adjacent the center, thereof. f The inner ends of theconverging springs 14 are preferably connected withthe arch shapedmember 11 by means of the U-bolts 15 as shown in Figures II and V. Thearch shaped member is preferably in the form of a Z-bar with the lowerflange extending forwardly and the upper flange extending rearwardly andlying upon the inner ends of the springs 14; which are disposed within achannel shaped member forming a connection for the springs, the springs,channel shaped member 16 and upper flange of the arched Z-bar 11 beingall firmly connected by the vertically dis posed bolts 17, the nut-s 18of which rest upon the upper flange of the Z-bar 11 as shown in FiguresII and 111. At the rear of the body 19 and extending substantially thefull width thereof is provided a cover plate adapted to cover thesprings 1i and arch frame connection 11, said cover plate having aforwardly extending portion 21 disposed beneath the body 19 and arearwardly extending and downwardly inclined ortion 22 terminating in avertically disposed flange 23, said inclined portion 22 and flange 23serving to cover and protect the top and rear sides of the arched Z-bar11, channel shaped member 16 and inner ends of the springs 14: asclearly shown in Figures I and II. The cover plate 20 is providedcentrally of the vehicle frame with a depressed portion 2% to receivethe central body portion 25 of the carrier bracket as shown in FigureII. The cover plate 20 rests upon the nuts 18 of the bolts 17, saidbolts being provided with reduced extensions 23 which project throughthe cover plate and body portion 25 of the carrier bracket to receivethe washers 2% and nuts 25 which serve to clamp the cover plate andcarrier bracket upon the nuts 18 as best shown in Figures II and III. Inthis construction, common means is provided for connecting the innerends of the springs 14: with the arched frame member 11 and cover plateand carrier bracket, all as shown in Figure II. The body portion 25 ofthe bracket is provided. with oppositely and laterally extending arms 26which extend rearwardly and downwardly from the cover plate. The ends ofthe arms are turned upwardly as indicated at 27 and seated upon andconnected with the inner periphery of the tire holding ring 28. The body25 of the bracket and the arms 26 thereof are pro vided at one side witha continuous downwardly extending flange29 serving to stiffen andstrengthen the bracket, while on the op posite side of the arms areprovided stiffening and strengthening flanges 80, and centrally disposedthereon are the upstanding ribs 31 which also serve to stifien and bracethe arms to afford a more or less rigid sup port for the tire holdingring 28 which is adapted to support the spare tire 32 as indicated bydotted lines in Figure II. The tire holding ring 28 is connected at itsupper side with the back of the body 19 by means of a bracket havingarearwardly extending portion 33 connected with the ring and avertically disposed portion secured upon the body by means of the bolt35 and nut 36, as indicated in the upper part of Figure II. Any suitableretaining means may be pro vided for holding the tire upon the ring andfor looking it thereon. However, the detailed construction of the ringand the locking means for the tire is immaterial to the presentinvention and therefor a description of the same will not be necessaryin the present application. The cover plate 20 serves the double purposeof covering and protecting the arched frame connection 11 and inner endsof the springs 1 1 and forms as well a rigid support for the carrierbracket and tire holding ring mounted thereon. It will be noted that thearms of the bracket are relatively short and are well braced andstiffened by the flanges and ribs thereon and therefore afford a strongand rigid support for the tire holding ring and permit the same to bemounted close to the back of the body of the vehicle as indicated inFigure II, the top of the ring being also rigidly connected with thebody of the vehicle whereby the tire is supported in a substantiallyvertical position without any appreciable overhang at the rear of thevehicle, whereby exce. e vibration of the tire holding carrier isprevented.

ll liile the form of structure herein shown and described is admirablyadapted to fillfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understoodthat various changes in form, proportion and minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention as expressed in the appended claims.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a motor vehicle, the combination of an axle, a frame, a springinterposed between the axle and the frame, a tire holder mounted uponthe frame, and connnon means connecting said frame, spring and tireholder and. permitting the holder to be removed without loosening theconnection between the frame and spring.

2. A motor vehicle frame structure comprising side frame members, aconnecting end member therefor, a spring for the frame disposed on theunder side of said connecting member, a bolt extending upwardly throughsaid spring and said end connecting member, a nut on the bolt engagingthe upper face of said conecting member, and a member connected to saidbolt for removal therefrom without removal of said nut, said memberhaving outwardly extending arms adapted for connection with a tireholding member.

3. A motor vehicle frame structure comprising side frame membcrs, aconnecting end member therefor, a spring for the frame disposed on theunder side of said connccting end member, a bolt extending upwardlythrough said spring and end connecting member, a nut on the boltengaging the upper face of said comieeting member, said bolt having areduced extension adapted to receive a tire carrier, and a nut threadedupon the reduced extension for securing the carrier in place.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

EDVARD H. BELDEN.

